


A Better Way

by Wind_Ryder



Series: The East Wind [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Conversations, Moving On, Politics, Renewal, friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-09
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-08 10:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4301244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wind_Ryder/pseuds/Wind_Ryder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the events of "Ghost in the Shell", Steve and Bucky are on a mission to fix the mistakes of their pasts. They are determined to destroy SHIELD, and get rid of Hydra once and for all. </p><p>Before they do that, however, they need help. </p><p>This installment contains a series of conversations with key characters. It is not the direct sequel, but rather an extended interlude.</p><p>Chapter One: Matt Murdock, Attorney at Law<br/>Chapter Two: Sharon Carter, CIA<br/>Chapter Three: Glenn Talbot, Brigadier General - Air Force</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Matt Murdock, Attorney at Law

**Author's Note:**

> While I work on the full sequel to "Ghost in the Shell" I'm also going to update this on a prompt basis. If there is a character you would like to see Steve/Bucky interact with, please let me know and I'll add them to this run. 
> 
> The main characters from Agents of SHIELD are, unfortunately, a key plot point in the sequel and so they will not be included here. Any side characters from the show, such as Glenn Talbot, can be requested at any time. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy these interludes!

For Matt Murdock, Attorney at Law, strange men entering his office was not an unusual occurrence. In fact, he prided himself on being open minded enough to allow all prospective clients enter his office whenever they felt the need to hire a lawyer. Karen Page, his lovely assistant, greeted the strangers with a startled smile. She stood up, welcomed them in politely, and then nervously glanced between his office and his partner, Foggy's, before walking to his.

“Um, Matt? We have clients.” Despite being fully operational for almost two years, Karen still seemed surprised whenever someone walked inside their office, as though it was such a rare event she wasn't sure how to handle it.

“Thank you, Karen,” he told her, nodding encouragingly. He stood up, feeling the edges of his desk and extending his senses outwards.

There were two men, both in reasonably good health. One was taller than the other, but both were built solidly. They leaned towards each other, familiar but not necessarily intimate. Brothers perhaps, or close companions. The taller man was standing in front of his fellow, half shielding him from view. Despite that, Matt could hear how the other shifted to watch Matt approach.

Both had cased the office immediately. They'd looked around the office, spotting each window and vantage point. Ex-military perhaps? Neither were in uniform. The rough denim of their jeans rubbed against their canvas jackets. Neither wore tags, but there was something in the tall man's pocket-keys? No, beads. A chain. A rosary? Catholic. Interesting.

They smelled fresh, as though they had recently showered and cleaned. The soap was cheap, something from a hotel as a complementary service. Their shampoo was identical. They'd used the same supplies then, living together most likely.

More interesting was the sound of their hearts. Strong and calm, and they were completely free of disease or trauma. What was more fascinating, was that both organs beat steadily, in perfect unison. It was highly unusual...and extremely fascinating.

"Mr. Murdock," the tall man greeted. He didn't hold out his hand. Most people did out of habitual courtesy at the very least.

"Yes, and you are?" he asked, offering his own hand when the other failed to do so. The tall man took it and gave it a firm grasp. His palm had calluses right through the center. Odd, most calluses formed by the balls of the fingers or on the fingers themselves. His _palm_ was callused, what could that be from?

"Steve Rogers, this is Bucky Barnes." And that would explain it.

"I don't shake hands," the world's most renowned assassin said over Captain America's shoulder.

"Wait," Foggy said hurrying from his own office. "As in...the Steve Rogers and..."

"Yes," Captain Rogers replied pleasantly. Foggy's heart accelerated and Matt could all but feel the excitement in the air. Even Karen seemed star struck. They were staring at them both, and Matt could feel Karen's body temperature rising as she flushed. Foggy would remind him at this juncture that feeling Karen's body temperature in the air was weird and invasive, and as a lawyer he should know better. Foggy didn't need to know.

"What can we do for you Captain?" Matt asked politely, addressing Steve since he was the initiator.

"Please, I'm retired." That had been what the papers had said lately. _Captain America Finally Steps Down._ No one had truly believed it. Nor had anyone really believed it when the papers revealed that Captain America and the Winter Soldier had been involved in a deep undercover operation for three years that had the press busy hanging the Winter Soldier for every crime imaginable. Matt certainly hadn't.

"Some titles, like the President's, last forever." Captain Rogers nodded slowly.

"If it will make you more comfortable," he allowed. "We'd like to discuss...legal options, if that's all right."

"Wha-what kind of legal options?" Foggy asked quickly.

"Advice, primarily. We would pay you for your time, of course, but we'd like to be fully prepared should any legal action need to take place in the future."

"Of course, please, this way." Matt held out his hand towards their conference room, and Captain Rogers nodded his head politely and moved towards it. Sergeant Barnes, AKA the Winter Soldier, followed him.

The two heroes, or the hero and his anti-hero partner, sat at the conference table side by side. Their shoulders brushed against each other and they settled in as though they were well used to this. Matt supposed they must be. Before he’d lost his sight, he could remember watching documentaries about these two men. He could remember them standing at each other’s shoulders, laughing about something while they gave a sound bite for the kids back home. They were familiar with each other in the 1940s, and they were clearly familiar with each other now. Matt and Foggy sat across from them, and Karen took the head of the table with her notebook at the ready.

Neither Captain Rogers nor Sergeant Barnes slouched. They were in perfect military posture as they sat across from them. Some things, Matt supposed, could never be forgotten or replaced. They didn’t waste time either. Almost as soon as Karen had flipped to a clean page in her notebook, clicking her pen to get ready to write, Captain Rogers began to speak.

“A lot has been written about us in the papers lately.”

“Yes, your three year mission to uncover suspected traitors and home grown terrorists still at large within the country,” Matt described. He could hear the rustle of Captain Roger’s body moving. Nodding curtly. “You were successful.” That’s what the headlines said. The papers were quick to rally behind Captain Rogers upon his reappearance, and more than a few had stated that they were ‘in’ on it from the beginning.

It had been laughable, really. No one had known what was happening, and even fewer people knew if this wasn’t just another convoluted lie that had been made up to keep them all at peace with the President’s unprecedented decision to pardon Barnes for crimes he’d never been convicted of. There were more than a few people in the legal community who weren’t happy that a trial hadn’t taken place.

“We found out what we needed to,” Captain Rogers replied. It wasn’t a real answer. Nor was it detailed enough to provide any clarity to their murky history. “As I’m sure you’re aware, the results of that time weren’t exactly handled the best.” It was an understatement. The media had been in an uproar, the people had been confused and struck dumb, and the only place that seemed to find any pride in anything had come from Texas. They’d been very happy to find out that Captain America had decided to bless Texas with his permanent residence. That he’d decided to move a known assassin in with him seemed little more than an after thought at that point.

“To my knowledge, your pardon is absolute. The crimes associated to the Winter Soldier were determined to be the fault of Hydra, and you are free from any legal action that could potentially be taken against you.” Sergeant Barnes still hadn’t spoken. Aside from his initial comment on not shaking hands, he was letting Captain Rogers lead this discussion. Even now, despite Matt’s words targeted to him directly, he held his tongue. He tilted his head towards Captain Rogers, and Matt could hear his knee tap against the Captain’s under the table.

“That’s not what we’d like advice about,” Rogers stated patiently. Their heartbeats continued to beat steadily. Thier demeanors stayed relaxed. They were calm, and they weren’t even a little concerned.

“Apologies,” Matt provided.

“Then...what do you need advice about?” Foggy asked carefully. Captain Rogers smiled, a quick pop up on his lips that dissipated almost immediately.

“After our experience,” an interesting choice of words to be sure, “we’ve decided to focus our efforts on SHIELD and Hydra exclusively. We want to ensure both organizations, whatever is left of them, are dismantled.”

“You’re Avengers, I imagine you don’t necessarily need our help to accomplish that,” Matt told him gently. If nothing else, a precedent had been set after the ‘Incident’ and SHIELD’s very public fall from grace. The government didn’t want to arrest the Avengers, and they weren’t going to. The good they did for the world outweighed the bad, and they had grudgingly been cowed into submission due to their usefulness.

“We do if we want to do it right.” It was an interesting concept. More than a few people had complained about the way the Avengers operated. No oversight, no rules, no regulations. They went in, fixed a problem, and left. Tony Stark’s generosity in paying for any lasting damages could only go so far to fixing a problem most people were at least vaguely aware of. The Avengers seemed to run and operate themselves. They did so outside of the confines of the law, and they were generally celebrated for it.

Vigilantism had been on the rise since their initial appearance, and there was growing concern in the public that should the Avengers truly decide to stop playing by the ‘rules’ they already seemed willing to shirk when necessary, there would be nothing anyone could do to stop them. It was a terrifying possibility, and Matt wasn’t certain as to his feelings on it. After all, his own night-time activities had been inspired by the idea that people with the ability to fix the problems the world faced, can and should do so. He’d be lying if he didn’t say Captain America had been an inspiration growing up. Any kid with a disability liked to think that one day they could save the world too, despite their flaws.

“My first thought was to cut the heads off of any Hydra agent we came across, poetic justice and all, but Steve thinks that might not send the right message to the public at large,” the master assassin at Captain Rogers’ left said. For the first time, Barnes broke posture, leaning back in his chair. His heart rate increased slightly, and his fingers tightened and released. It didn’t take long for his heart to fall back into the steady pace it had with Rogers’ and Matt tilted his head to listen to it closer. His initial analysis was wrong. The Captain’s had increased with his comrade’s, and they both settled together. Truly fascinating.

“Um...yes, that might not be the right thing to do,” Foggy agreed. Matt’s lips tugged, trying to smile, but he fought it back. Trust Foggy to comment on that. Then again, it was hard not to.

“He’s kidding,” Steve excused. And there was a difference. Matt caught it immediately. Some of the ever present military posture relaxed as Barnes spoke. He melted out of being Captain America and into his own skin so seamlessly, that Matt wondered if there was truly a divide to begin with. When he was in his own costume, he found that there was always a part of him pretending. One was the indulging side that he struggled to contain each day, the other was the public face that knew exactly how to navigate an increasingly political world. Matt knew a thing or two about secret identities, and he wondered if Steve had merely become used to it by now. If transitioning was as much a part of him as simply existing.

“What can we do for you?” Matt encouraged again.

“When we do go after SHIELD and Hydra, we want to make sure that the people we collect are going to get a trial. We want them to be convicted, and we want to know the best way to secure evidence against them. What do we need to prove that these specific individuals have done wrong. What do we need to do to make sure that they actually get a sentence equivalent to their actions?”

“What he’s saying,” Barnes interrupted. Again, his heart raced the moment he started to talk, tension slipping through him like a live wire. “Is how can we keep people from just walking the next day because someone posted bail?”

“Even a great lawyer can’t determine a judge’s decision like that.”

“But they can impact it,” Steve suggested.

“The people that you intend to...arrest...presumably these people have committed some great crime?”

“Yes, but the problem with being in a secret organization is that, it’s secret. We can know someone is evil, but how do we _prove_ it in court?”

“And you intend to bring each of these individuals to court?” Steve’s temperature rose, his muscles constricted, and his voice hardened.

“Enough people have been held without due process. This country was built on a nation of laws, and those should be upheld.” Never let it be said that Captain America lacked conviction. Matt nodded.

“Understood.”

“What specifically are you looking into? What’s your first step?” Foggy asked. Karen started to write on her notebook, getting reading to take down everything their client might need from them.

“SHIELD,” Barnes replied, all but spitting the word out. Steve actually rolled his eyes.

“Bucky-” Steve never had the chance to finish before his companion cut him off.

“SHIELD goes first.” The tension between them rose slightly, but then settled. Two hearts beating as one. This was a familiar argument, and they were clearly used to the ebb and flow of the discussion.  

“Fine.” Steve backed down, and Matt didn’t think Captain America ever backed down from a fight. “SHIELD’s total deconstruction is our first step.”

“What does that entail? What...crimes, do you believe they have committed? It’s not illegal to be a SHIELD agent. Nor even a member of Hydra.” Neo-Naziism wasn’t even illegal in the United States, and Matt knew that that caused tension in other parts of the world.

“Impersonating an officer is,” Steve suggested. “They’ve been disavowed by the United States government. They’re no longer capable of enforcing the law, or any part of it.”

“That is true,” Matt agreed. “I assume that they have been arresting individuals under the banner of being a SHIELD agent?”

“Yes.” The tension in that word alone spoke from personal experience. Matt wondered, idly, exactly what had come about during those three years where the Winter Soldier and Captain America were ‘undercover’ together. He doubted it was anything pleasant.

“Then on top of impersonating an officer, now anything they did as those officers has become an illicit act. Arresting an individual, would now be considered kidnapping.”

“Being held without trial would be considered a deprivation of liberty,” Foggy agreed, following his train of thought immediately.

“Any unwanted physical contact while in their care would be considered abuse, or assault. Their continued interaction could be elevated to psychological torture-”

“Oh it could be considered physical as well,” Barnes muttered under his breath. Matt gave them the floor to continue, and they did so immediately.

“Illegal human experimentation, medical malpractice-” Steve started.

“Medical malpractice,” Barnes added.

“Murder.”

“Theft of government technology.”

“Animal endangerment.”

“Xenophobia.”

“That one really isn’t illegal, Buck,” Steve told him.

“Well it _should_ be,” he snapped back. His body was so tense now that Matt wondered if he needed a moment to calm down. Steve clearly recognized it, because he leaned towards his friend and let his arm settle against him. It took only a few moments, but the tension slowly bled from Barnes’ body until he sagged slightly and tilted his head away.

“It would help if we understood the specific case that you’re referring to,” Matt supplied. “A list of additional charges could be brought up from there.”

“It would also help if you knew who specifically was responsible for these actions,” Foggy continued. “You can’t blame an entire organization for the actions of a solitary figure.”

“And that’s why we really needed a lawyer,” Steve replied. “Some of these actions were caused by specific individuals within SHIELD. Some were sanctioned by others, and were simply orders that subordinates followed through with. We want to make sure that the persons truly responsible for the crimes are the ones held accountable for those actions. We’ve both fought through World War Two, and we know full well what men just following orders are capable of. The Nuremberg Trials proved that there were some individuals that were more accountable than others. But all members of the SS were liable to a degree.”

“In your mind, then, who is the most liable?”

“Coulson.” Both Steve and Barnes spat the name out in unison.

“His name is Phil Coulson,”  Steve continued. “He’s the head of SHIELD, and he’s the one giving the orders. His Agents follow his command. Some, with less of a moral compass than others.”

“Are you speaking from personal experience?” Matt questioned delicately.

“Yes,” Steve replied. He didn’t flinch away from the answer nor try to deflect it. “I’d be willing to speak at a trial.” That alone would sway a jury. Few people in the world could say they didn’t have an opinion on Captain America. He was too big of a public figure, too high profile of a presence.

“Do you know of anyone else who experienced this? The more people who could testify against Coulson or his agents specifically, the more likely the resolution. A class action suit is far more difficult to refute than a single party seeking reparations.”

“So we need the victims,” Steve deduced evenly. “All of them.”

“Yes, and any testimonial that witnesses would be willing to give. Those who have committed lesser crimes, or those who were not directly involved could plea bargin to help ensure other parties are appropriately punished.”

“What about documentation? There’s a term...uh...illegal search and seizure? Doesn’t that mean we can’t use any of it in court?” That gave Matt pause for thought. The Avengers had never been given any official right to do anything as it was. Generally speaking, they never even involved themselves at the legal level. They fought against global threats, and didn’t bicker in the courtroom unless a senator got uppity. They were the physical version of Wikileaks. They went out, they exposed everything to the world, and then they punched it out in the streets of a populated city. It was violent, destructive, and they weren’t usually around when the dust settled.

Additionally, they’d need a warrant to arrest anyone. Which meant politics. They’d need to know a judge, and they’d need to have sanctions. They’d have to work in a system. The possibilities of this were now becoming far more daunting. They weren’t asking just want vague bits of information that they’d need to prove to the world that someone was crooked, they were asking how to legally, within the system, take down dangerous individuals and make it ironclad. For two people who had benefited greatly from working outside of the system, this was not what Matt expected.

“Your concern is that by arresting these individuals you’d be committing the same acts that you’re trying to bring them to trial for?” Matt asked.

“Yes,” Steve replied. “We’re not going to kill them indiscriminately. We’re not going to be judge and jury. We’re not going to be the ones who make that final call. They committed crimes, and they should pay for those crimes.”

“Sometimes the law doesn’t afford the same opportunity for justice that you could provide on your own.” Matt had been caught in red tape before. He’d called the police on that little girl’s father. He’d still walked away clean. Fisk couldn’t be taken down without the many actions that occurred behind the scenes. At the end, sometimes a man in a mask was the only one capable of making things right.

“They held us prisoner for three months,” Steve said. His voice was steady, calm. Barnes was watching him, as though waiting for the moment when that passivity would fade. “There was no arguing, there was no system, there was no one there to confirm what they had decided. They arrested us, they held us, they made decisions regarding us without the approval of any sanctioned official. They made the call, because they thought it was the right call.”

Something uncomfortable wormed about in Matt’s stomach, and Steve sighed. “There are times when immediate action is necessary. We didn’t wait for approval before going to New York and fighting the Chitauri. And we didn’t wait very long when we were first taking down SHIELD. We didn’t wait because we were trying to save millions of lives in the process. It was the right call then. This is the right call now.” And just like that, Captain America had returned. “The people of this country aren’t going to take our word forever, and if anything is ever going to be resolved, it needs to be done in a forum where they can feel comfortable. We brought down those helicarriers, we stopped them permanently, because they were designed to instil fear and call it freedom. I’m not going to make my legacy another link in that chain. SHIELD, Hydra,” he shook his head, “They are both going, and they’re going to go in a way that no one can refute. In fifty years, hell, in five years, I want people to look back and still come to the same conclusion. This was done right. No alternatives.”

“Some of those people you’re trying to put behind bars...they’re going to get off. You won’t get all of them.” The legal system had its flaws. It had endless flaws. Matt supported it, he fought to defend those who were innocent, and he fought to ensure that corrupt individuals faced the penalty for their actions.

But guilty people still walked free, while innocent people still rotted in jail.

The flaws were endless.

“You’re right,” Captain Rogers replied. “And that’s why we’re here now. How do we make it right?”

“Can you get sanctioned to arrest these individuals?” Foggy asked. “Because if you’re going down the arrest route...you’ll need to be legally capable of arresting them.” Captain America and Sergeant Barnes exchanged looks.

“That shouldn’t be a problem.” No, Matt conceded. For two people who likely knew the President of the United States personally, he doubted it _would_ be a problem.

“You’ll need to get a warrant for their arrest, and an individual warrant for any search and seizure that you wanted to preform. You’d probably have to work with FBI to do that, and you’d need a judge on call. If you’re going outside of the country, you’ll need to speak to the local law enforcement agencies over there, or be sanctioned by the UN or the World Security Council.”

“What else?”

“You’ll need a lot of paperwork. Documents, things that can expressly target each person you want to bring down. You’ll need to have...a roster, a role-call, an attendance sheet - something proving that these people were working for these organizations and that they were doing illicit acts because of it,” Foggy explained carefully.  

 “Are you sure you want to do this?” Matt asked, because this undertaking was going to be nothing like the courts had ever seen before. This wasn’t going to be one or two spies brought in every few years. This was going to be an orchestrated effort. It’d be McCarther all over again. Those were trials too, though how just they were was something history students laughed about.

“Yes,” Captain America told him. “I’m sure I want to do this.”

“Please,” Barnes murmured at his side. “We need your help.”

“I’m not going to support a witch hunt,” he warned.

“Trust me,” Steve told him. “You won’t be.”

Matt didn’t have any idea how Steve planned on ensuring that didn’t happen, but if anyone could ensure this was done right: he had a suspicion Captain America would be the one to do it. He turned towards Foggy. Foggy turned towards him. He couldn’t see Foggy’s face, but he could feel his tension in the air. He could feel his concern. He could also feel his steadfast desire for this to be right.

If Captain America could do it, perhaps, Daredevil could too.

“We’ll help,” Foggy decreed. So it was.

“Let’s get started.”

“We’re going to need more coffee,” Karen said swiftly, and she stood to start a pot. They had a lot to discuss, and this was going to only be the first of many meetings.

And maybe, just maybe, Captain America could show the world that there truly was a better way.

****


	2. Sharon Carter, CIA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Bucky continue their quest to set up a foundation of stability against SHIELD. They choose to recruit an ex-SHIELD agent who has shown her trustworthiness in the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This continues the series as an individual chapter from Sharon's perspective.

Sharon was exhausted. She’d been on an undercover operation for nearly a month and now that it was over, all she wanted to do was take a long hot bath and wash the feeling of Rebecca Marshall off her body. She opened her apartment door and breathed in the scent of home, relishing in the near forgotten sense of calm that came from being around things she actually liked.

She stepped towards her stereo and plugged in her iPod. The first song was one of Rebecca’s favorites, and she hit play by accident before realization struck and she hurried to find something else. Something that was uniquely hers. Rebecca Marshall didn’t have any feelings towards the Spice Girls, but Sharon Carter did. She hit ‘Wannabe’ and set the rest to play on shuffle.

Stumbling to her bedroom, she stripped out of Rebecca Marshall’s clothes and threw them in the corner to be dealt with sometime next month. When she walked into the bathroom she stared at herself in the mirror. Rebecca Marshall had dark brown hair and wore contacts. The hair she’d have to bleach out in the morning, but the contacts she could get rid of now. Carefully sliding her finger to her eye she slowly removed them one by one. Rebecca’s jewelry was tossed onto the counter, and Rebecca’s hair was pulled back from the braid she’d kept it in.

Rebecca preferred showers. Sharon ran her bath hot. She filled it with bubbles. She closed her eyes and listened as the Spice Girls dipped into another poppy song about female pride and empowerment. Exhaustion was pulling at every bone and muscle in her body. When she finally could sink into the bath, she let out a sigh of relief.

She stayed there, eyes closed and head tipped back, draining and refilling the tub with scalding water every twenty minutes, for nearly two hours. She scrubbed at her skin. She floated in the warmth. She let the person she had to be disappear. She slowly came back to who she was.

My name is Sharon Carter. She tested the words out again and again. Leveling out was hard, but she could do this. She was familiar with this. It was all right.

She was contemplating whether or not to run her bath for a tenth time when a knock sounded at her apartment door. Sitting up, she listened. She couldn’t hear anything else, and the knock had been almost polite. Shivering, she lifted herself from the bath. She was too raw from the sudden end of her assignment to feel comfortable with someone in her space, but someone was here whether she liked it or not.

Pulling a robe on, she quickly found her gun and loaded it. She walked slowly, quietly, moving towards the door without giving the visitor any notice that she was approaching. She was an old hat at this, and it was easy enough to check her laptop. She’d installed a camera at the door when she’d first moved in, and even now she loaded its feed to see who it was, safe and out of the line of fire should anything dangerous be on the otherside.

She wasn’t sure who she was expecting, but it wasn’t Steve Rogers. Or Bucky Barnes for that matter. Hesitating, she pressed a hand to her head. She wasn’t in a good mindset for this conversation. She really wasn’t. But she owed him. She owed him for lying about who she was, and she owed him for spying on him for years. He deserved her courtesy, even if she wasn’t in the best place to provide it.

Walking towards the door, she unlatched it and pulled it open. Steve blinked at her, mouth falling open as he took in her wet hair and damp robe. He flushed and sputtered, and Barnes actually had the audacity to peer over his shoulder and give her a lascivious grin. “Well hello,” he purred lewdly. She didn’t so much as bother to address that. She was not in the mood.

“Captain Rogers,” she greeted, keeping her attention on the only reason she’d even bothered. “What can I do for you?”

“Uh-um-well-you-we can come back later.” He was stuttering as much as Sharon’s aunt had always said he did when he was flustered. Barnes actually started laughing at Steve’s side, bent over somewhat and going so far as to slap his knee obscenely. Sharon scowled towards him.

“It’s fine. Truly,” she spat. No. Wait. That was Rebecca Marshall. Damn it. Closing her eyes she forced herself to take a deep breath. “Come in, just...give me a minute to get something else on.” She opened the door wider and stepped to the side.

“Are-are you sure, we don’t mean to intrude.”

“She’s sure, Steve. Thank, doll,” Barnes said, slipping passed Steve and sliding inside Sharon’s apartment. Sharon sighed at his entrance. She supposed where one was, the other was sure to follow. Steve was still blushing darkly, but he averted his eyes and thanked her as he walked inside.

Closing and locking the door behind him, she excused herself to her room. She had wanted to complete her post-op ritual, but it didn’t seem like she was going to have the chance. Instead, she quickly traded her robe for a comfortable pair of pants and a light shirt. She put the sports bra on to preserve some sense of modesty, and she kept the gun with her. She trusted Steve. She did not trust Barnes.

When she returned to them, they’d were standing in her living room. Barnes was looking over her belongings, and Steve was standing with his hands in his pockets waiting patiently. He looked different than the last time they’d seen each other in person. She’d had newspaper articles and paparazzi shots to prepare her for his current appearance.

He sported a full beard these days, and his blonde hair was starting to dip passed the standards of professionally appropriate. The edges caressed the bottoms of his ears, and she spied an elastic band around his wrist. He could, and clearly intended to at some point, tie it back if need be.

Barnes, for his part, had kept to his pre-war appearance. He looked like the carbon copy of his image in the Smithsonian, and it was terrifying that he blended so well into society considering his recently revealed history. Someone had even purchased him (or perhaps he’d purchased himself) a blue jacket with dark buttons down the center. He was obviously very comfortable in it, and it was well worn around his wrists.

For someone whose sole involvement in the media for three years had been a half crazed image of him dragging Steve out of Avengers Tower, he looked remarkably well put together. Certainly more put together than she was at the end of a three year op. Not that she’d been on an extended op that long since living SHIELD. She was grateful for that at the very least.

“I’m sorry to intrude like this,” Steve told her, drawing her attention from his friend.

“It’s fine... I just got off an assignment, so sorry if I’m a bit...abrasive.” Steve looked immediately apologetic, and Sharon sighed. “What can I do for you, Captain?”

“I’m retired,” he reminded her. She wondered how many times he was going to say it before he eventually gave up.

“You never lose the honor,” she told him. “You’ll always be an army Captain, even if you’re not Captain America.” He smiled weakly.

“They say I’m a Colonel now.” Barnes seemed surprised at that.

“No foolin’?” Steve looked over his shoulder at him.

“I wasn’t killed in action, so I technically was still a part of the army. They added wings to my dress uniform and everything.”

“Colonel Rogers,” Barnes mused. “Imagine that.” He didn’t seem curious as to what his own rank was.

Steve kept his eyes on his companion for a moment longer, waiting to see if he was going to say anything else. When he didn’t, he returned his attention to her. “We’d like to ask for your help.”

“My help?” she repeated.

“Yes.”

“What do you need me for?”

“We’re going after SHIElD.” Sharon wasn’t exactly sure what to make of that. If anything, she wasn’t sure if there was something to say. SHIELD had been dismantled. The agents had scattered and been adopted by other agencies. Her current employment at the CIA was proof enough of that. General Talbot had been on the news insisting that SHIELD agents should be brought in for questioning, but there wasn’t anything official or concrete about a phantom organization as far as she was aware. She vaguely wondered if she should tell him that, but he looked determined.

“Probably should have started with SHIELD still being around Rogers,” Barnes mentioned. She was grateful for his involvement. It was necessary.

“SHIELD’s still around,” Steve amended her sheepishly.

“The President announced that you were undercover together. Was that your mission? Routing out the remains of SHIELD?” she asked.

“No, but during our time away we ended up in contact with them. It ended badly for everyone involved.” She nodded slowly. Rebecca would have said she was too tired for this and would deal with it later. Sharon knew that that wasn’t an option.

“Let me get some coffee,” she told him. She left them alone, moving to her kitchen and starting a pot up. She could hear them moving about, and they murmured quietly to each other. She couldn’t quite hear what they were saying, but it didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to eavesdrop on them. She wasn’t Rebecca Marshall.

It took fifteen minutes for the coffee to be ready. When it was done she tipped her nose towards it and inhaled it long and slow. The bitter smell swirled around her nose and she sipped it. Ugh. She needed sugar. A lot of sugar.

Returning to the living room, she sat down and motioned for them to do the same. "Explain."

They did.

It took another three mugs of coffee to get through the whole story. Phil Coulson was alive, he was wrangling together Agents and having them work for him, and they were walking a very thin line between the black and grey areas of their job.

"They're brainwashing people?" Sharon confirmed just to be clear. Barnes let his eyes move towards Steve, and she watched as Steve's hands clenched.

"It's easier than a trial. More humane." He was practically shaking with rage.

"I suppose it is on the surface," she mused. His eyes tightened. Disappointment and frustration surged through him. "Is it better to be locked in a cell until the end of your life? The end of your term? Perhaps a new life is better."

"You really believe that Agent Carter?" She flinched at the name. He wasn't asking about her personal opinion, he was asking if this was the way her family's legacy should be represented.

"People make bad decisions for a number of reasons, Steve. They fall into the world as babies, and they're influenced by the world around them. They can't get out of their current situations because that's the only opportunity they're given. And they end up being bad people, not because it was what they wanted, but because that was the option they had. Between feeding their families and joining a gang- they made the choice."

"Nature vs. Nurture," Steve defined easily.

She nodded. "They made a bad choice. Maybe they just needed a new opportunity, a new life."

"And who decides what that life should be?" Steve mused. "Who decides that they deserve to be that doctor they always wanted to be, that painter they always wanted to be, that gardener they always wanted to be? Who decides what should be put in, and what should be taken out?"

"I don't know."

"And could those prisoners even consent to that? After they've been arrested? Can they consent to their lives being taken away, repurposed? What about the people they knew? Those same families they did ill for, are they now no longer permitted to see that person because they are new?"

"I don't know."

"And when the programming breaks down,"

"Is it certain it will?"

"Yes," Barnes replied. "Painfully, in a wall of confusion and uncertainty, where nothing makes sense and you no longer know who you are anymore. And you wonder, are you even real? Or are you just another story just crammed into the head you’re living in?"

Steve's face paled and he turned towards Barnes, eyes squinting in pain. His mouth opened and he reached for his friend, choking his name out in a tragic sounding - "Bucky."

Barnes didn't reach back. He stayed where he was, head down and shoulders hunched. “And you never know if it’s a lie, when you find out the truth. You never know if this is just another elaborate plan. But it hurts, and it doesn’t go away. And when it’s over, you wish you’d never said ‘yes’ to begin with.”

Sharon rested her coffee mug on the table in front of her. “On the surface it doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” she repeated. “But it’s not my job to defend what’s on the surface.” Barnes slowly lifted his head. “What do you need?”

“Support,” Steve replied. “We need to do this right. No smoke and mirrors, no shadows in the dark. Nothing is swept under the rug. Every single person we find has to be guilty of a crime. Every single person has to have enough evidence collected, legally, so that those crimes can be brought to light.”

“How big is Coulson’s organization?” She refused to call it SHIELD.

“From the records that Tony found, there’s at least a couple thousand spread worldwide. It could be more, but you know how SHIELD gets.” Steve clearly didn’t have that difficulty.

“It will take years to bring each one of them to court. The legal battles alone would take months for each person.”

“Yes.”

“There’s already a taskforce in place that’s dedicated to searching and destroying anything SHIELD related. General Talbot is leading it.” She didn’t like the man. His comments in regards to SHIELD were far too slanted. They hadn’t known what was happening around them. They hadn’t known that their missions were sometimes furthering Hydra’s goal. They had thought that everything was as it should be. They’d thought they were helping to save the world.

Clearly, they were wrong.

“I know. He’s our next stop.”

“What do you want from me, Steve?” Sharon asked again. His lips twisted into a forced smile.

“We’d like your help.”

“Why? The only time we’ve really spoken was when I was spying on you.” For SHIELD. For Hydra. Did it matter?

“You saved my life,” he told her succinctly. Her chest tightened at the memory. She’d been talking to her Aunt on the phone, listening as she recalled how Steve had visited her in the nursing home earlier that day. It had been sweet, and frankly, Aunt Peggy had deserved to have a little good in her life. She’d been so sad the past few years, and Sharon had grown up wondering why someone as good as Peggy didn’t get the life she’d wanted. That Steve proved he was just as good as Peggy had described him, going to visit her and treating her right, only made Sharon more morose. They had deserved better. Both of them.

She’d noted on the cameras when Rumlow approached, but he was a friendly. She hadn’t thought anything of it. Not until the shot sounded in Steve’s apartment. Not until when the sound of a struggle commenced in the hall. Not until she hurriedly got off the phone with her Aunt and found Steve bleeding out in his foyer.

_(“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” Sharon pressed her hands to Steve’s chest. He was choking on blood, wide eyes staring up at her as he coughed wetly around each breath. His hands fumbled, clutching at her wrist as he sputtered._

__

_“K….ate?”_

__

_“Stop talking. I’ve got you. You’re going to be all right,” she told him sharply. She pulled the walkie-talkie from her pocket. “Eagle is down. I repeat, Eagle is down. Shooter is…” she looked towards Rumlow’s crumpled form. He wasn’t breathing. She didn’t go to give him assistance. “Handled,” she finished. She looked down at Steve._

__

_His face was deathly pale, and it was only getting worse. “K...ate?”_

__

_“I’m Agent 13. I was assigned to protect you.” She hadn’t done a good job at that, had she. She pressed her hands to his chest, trying desperately to keep the blood in his body._

__

_“...Who?”_

__

_“Director Fury. Stop talking. You’re going to be okay. Help is on the way.”_

__

_Footsteps sounded in the hall, marching quickly. Steve’s hand tightened around her wrist, and she met his eyes. It was too fast of a response to be SHIELD. Steve tried to sit up, but she pushed him back. “Put pressure on this,” she told him, and he stared at her dumly. Her bloodstained hands went to her gun, and she turned just as the first Strike member entered the door._

__

_She hesitated just long enough to confirm that the man meant to kill them, watching as his finger moved to the trigger and steadied his aim on Sharon’s head. She fired. Another agent came in, and she fired again. Steve hissed, struggling to push himself upright. He dragged himself backwards, slapping a hand out until he could grab his shield - still propped uselessly against the wall._

__

_Two more agents came in, and Sharon’s aim was true each time. A cannister rolled in next and Sharon hissed, diving forwards and snatching it up - throwing it right back where it came from. Her lungs filled with the chemical smoke regardless, and she coughed as she squinted through the foggy air. Glass was shattering from the windows and she ducked as a bullet nearly found its mark in her eye. One final shot cleared her magazine, and she threw the gun into the face of the next man who walked through the door. He sputtered, and it gave her enough time to duck up and under, hitting him strong and fast. Throat, knee, temple - just like Peggy taught her._

__

_She scrambled, pulling up the Strike agent’s gun and twisting around. Someone had tried to come through the window and she fired, hitting the agent, and the next that tried to follow him._

__

_Steve had managed to prop himself against the wall, choking still, but holding his shield in front of him. It was the best that they could hope for in this situation. He looked at her, consciousness clearly fading fast. “We-we have to go,” she told him. He nodded. A bullet snapped through the window, and pinged off the shield. He hissed, pulling it up over her head. Sharon rolled forwards, twisting and raising her gun up. Target acquired. She fired, and the sniper on the opposite roof fell out of sight- dead she hoped._

__

_Silence descended upon them. SHIELD agents had attacked Captain America in his own home. Oh God._

__

_“We have to go,” she repeated. She moved towards him and crouched down._

__

_“I can make it,” he told her firmly. She pulled one of his arms over her shoulder and hoisted him up._

__

_“Together,” she bargained. He agreed._

__

_Every step they took, his breath hitched as agony must have spun through him. His body was shaking at her side, and there was blood dripping down from his mouth and nose. He still held the shield in front of them, keeping them safe in case another attack commenced. By the time they made it to Sharon’s car, they were convinced it was only a matter of time before something else came at them._

__

_Nothing did. They escaped, and they did it together.)_

“I did my job,” Sharon excused. Steve gave her an exceedingly unimpressed look at that.

“So was Strike, and you both had the same employer.”

“It was a conflicting company memo, I’ll give you that.” Barnes snorted and even Steve chuckled slightly in response.

“When the whole world was falling apart, Sharon, you were there. You got me out. You made it so that I could live long enough to find Bucky. To save him.”  

 

“I didn’t know about Barnes.”

“Would you have told me if you did?” She thought about it. She had read the files. The real ones. The ones that actually described what had transpired the night that Steve had vanished. Sergeant James Buchanan ‘Bucky’ Barnes, Steve Rogers’ best friend, had been captured in 1945 and turned into the world’s most deadly assassin. He had been found, frozen in a cryotube, waiting for someone to set him free. Steve had been the one to do that, and Barnes had imprinted on him.

The initial reports were clear. Barnes barely had any idea who or what he was, but he knew that he needed to follow orders, and he imprinted on Steve as the only person capable of giving those orders. His flight from Avengers Tower had made it perfectly clear that he’d taken it upon himself to look after Steve, to keep him safe, and to ensure that he was all right. Whoever the real person was, the person that Barnes was now, that had come later. It hadn’t been him that first night.

But that was irrelevant. If she had known that Sergeant Barnes was alive, if she had known that SHIELD (not even Hydra, but SHIELD) had kept him in cryo-freeze in order to use him for their own purpose, would she have told him? She thought about her Aunt Peggy. She thought about how sad she was when she described Steve’s final act - an act of vengeance upon the organization that took his closest friend and brother from him. She thought about how it had barely been days after watching Bucky fall when Steve had effectively killed himself.

She thought about how Steve had been so obviously depressed, how even when they passed each other in the halls of their apartment building - he’d looked like the weight of the world was pulling him down. _(“They were so close...Barnes was the only person in the world who could make Steve do something he didn’t want to do. And he needed that. He needed someone give him boundaries. Steve would have done anything to keep him safe. Losing his brother...I should have known it would have killed him.”)_

“Yes,” Sharon replied. “I would have told you.” Steve’s face morphed into such relaxed pleasure that she found herself mimicking it.

“I know you would have,” he began, “It’s why I’m trusting you now.”

“Trusting me with what?”

“We’re going to form a response team. A team of people dedicated to eradicating threats posed by Hydra and SHIELD. I’d like you to be on it.”

“Isn’t that the Avengers?” she asked curiously. “Not sure where I fit in with a Metal-man, a god, a rage monster, and two super soldiers.”

“Clint and Nat are Avengers,” Steve pointed out.

“Not sure where I fit in with them either.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Agent 13. Like I said - you saved my life. You’re not without your skills. But no, it’s not the Avengers.”

“Why not? Stark’s been on the news discussing his interest in going after any ex-SHIELD agents. He’s already spoken to Talbot, and the UN for that matter.” That had been on the news too. Steve seemed like he was well behind the times if he was repeating what his teammates had already done.

“The Avengers...are a response team.” That was one way of putting it. “If there’s a threat big enough to warrant the Avengers’ attention - they answer it. Aliens from outer space, for instance, warrant the Avengers.”

“Hydra and SHIELD don’t?”

“The Avengers have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions later. In some cases, that’s necessary. But I’m not interested in killing all of those who stand in my way. This path can’t be one that’s drenched in blood. It can’t be hypocritical.”

Tony Stark had been tortured in a cave in Afghanistan. When he escaped, he built the Ironman suit, flew back to that cave, and killed every single person involved. He initiated a war against weapons by creating an even more powerful weapon. He swayed public influence by using his name and his prestige, but he never followed the rules if they didn’t suit his fancy.

Thor was a god. He came from another realm with entirely different beliefs and concerns. He was as subtle as a battering ram, only tempered by the Hulk’s blinding rage. The property damage between them alone could cause untold consequences.

Clint and Natasha, however, were well used to playing the game. They were assassins, but they’d been used to sway politics for years. They could be subtle. They could be swift. They had a personal stake in SHIELD’s dismantling too. “Why not Hawkeye and Black Widow?” Sharon pressed.  

“They don’t want to step out of the shadows.” He said it as it was. No judgement. No emotion. Just a fact.

“And you think I do?” She had literally just come in from an undercover assignment. She had been doing nothing but live in the shadows for years. Even her experiences with Steve had been a product of living in the shadows.

And it hurt, she realized. Aunt Peggy had talked about Steve like he was a real person, a person who was fantastic and wonderful, but a person none the less. It hurt that at the end of the day, Sharon had wanted to meet that person. She’d wanted to spend time getting to know him. She’d wanted to reach out, tell him that they shared this connection to one of Sharon’s heroes, and ask if she could know more about Peggy in the war. She’d wanted to know who it was that made Peggy so happy. It had hurt that in the end, she had only been able to interact with Steve under the guise of ‘Kate.’ She’d never been able to make the connection she’d wanted to make since she first heard of Steve’s awakening.

“I think you do,” Steve confirmed. Sharon’s tongue flicked out and wet her lips. “We need a team dedicated to this cause. A group of individuals from all different disciplines. People who know what to look for. People who know what the end game is. People who can tell the difference between right and wrong. You joined the CIA. You didn’t sign back up with SHIELD.”

She’d never even been asked. No one had come to her. No one had tried to recruit her back. She’d left SHIELD and immediately submitted her resume to the one agency that she believed could benefit from someone like her. She worked in intelligence, and she wanted to continue gathering intelligence, this time - for the right reasons.

“And our team is going to be sanctioned,” he was confident on that. “We’re going to have all the legalities in place. We’ll be able to pick up those who are guilty, try them in a court of law for the crimes they actually committed, and ensure that they’re suitably punished for those acts. There is going to be red tape, but that’s why we need a team of people who can work with that red tape, who can make sure that despite all the people saying that we can’t do this the right way - we can. It has to be done right.”

Damn it, Sharon mused. She was going to do it again. She was going to throw away her promising career in espionage to help Steve Rogers save the world. Peggy was right. He was riveting.  “Okay,” Sharon told him. “Okay. I’m in.” Steve smiled. Riveting and beautiful. She did not blush. “What’s next?”

“Already told you. Next, we’re going to see General Talbot. There’s some things I’d like to say. We could use your help in the negotiations.”

“Negotiations?”

“It isn’t illegal to be a SHIELD agent,” Barnes said evenly. “Not even illegal to be a Hydra agent. Talbot’s going after everyone - killing them indiscriminately or imprisoning them without cause for no other reason than their profession, and with no proof or evidence that they even did anything wrong. Sooner or later - that’s going to bite him in the ass, and even if he does arrest someone who deserves it - they’ll walk free because it wasn’t done right to begin with.”

“No more killing SHIELD agents?” Sharon confirmed, just to be clear.

“No more killing SHIELD agents,” Steve decreed firmly.

“All right then. I’d be happy to help.”

“Thank you, Sharon.”

“Thank you, Steve.”

“For what?” he asked, honestly looking confused. “You’re the one doing us a favor.”

“For showing that there is a better way. For making it right.” He actually blushed at that, smiling and looking down as though the gratitude had honestly caught him off guard. “And you too,” she added, glancing towards Barnes. “For keeping him out of trouble.”

“Don’t’cha think you’ve got that the wrong way ‘round?” Barnes asked curiously.

“Somehow,” Sharon replied, “I don’t. I really don’t.”

“Hear that Steve? Looks like these Carter women really do have you all figured out.” Barnes leaned forwards and tapped his friend on the arm and Steve sent him a fond expression.

  
“Suppose they do,” he replied. “I suppose they do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, if you would like to see a character interaction, please let me know and I'll set it up.
> 
> Next time: Glenn Talbot.


	3. Glenn Talbot, Brigadier General - Air Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glenn Talbot peered down at the next name on his calendar with no small degree of trepidation. Colonel Steve Rogers, Captain America to the standard citizen. No military man born after 1945 could say that they didn't know who Colonel Rogers was. He was arguably the most famous American soldier born in the 20th century. A legend. Talbot had studied his tactics, memorized his formations, and argued about his offensive strategy at the Academy.
> 
>  
> 
> He had no idea why Captain America wanted to meet with him, but he wanted it to do this properly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience in this update! I have been working on getting through the sequel and hope to have it up within the next few weeks/months. 
> 
> I've recently submitted a work to be published and am finalizing the editing on that series so it's ready should I get a call back. 
> 
> I appreciate your patience as I work on these works!

Glenn Talbot peered down at the next name on his calendar with no small degree of trepidation. Colonel Steve Rogers, Captain America to the standard citizen. No military man born after 1945 could say that they didn't know who Colonel Rogers was. He was arguably the most famous American soldier born in the 20th century. A legend. Talbot had studied his tactics, memorized his formations, and argued about his offensive strategy at the Academy.

He had no idea why Captain America wanted to meet with him, but he wanted it to do this properly. Rumors around Capitol Hill had made it clear that Rogers was...well...different than he had been before his hiatus. While the president and his administration swore that Rogers was on a mission for them, the evidence just wasn’t that clear. Rogers had come back looking worn out and ragged. There were dark circles affixed under his eyes, and he was thinner than he had been prior to his departure.

He’d quickly put that weight back on, and Talbot had driven passed him recently while he was out for a morning run through the city. His hair was no longer military short, and he was wearing a beard these days, but he seemed to slowly tip back into a healthy body shape.

Chatter circulated about what his new intentions in DC were now that SHIELD was gone, and Talbot congratulated himself on being one of Rogers’ points of contact. Everyone agreed that Rogers was a new man, and Talbot would now be able to see that first hand. He was excited.

Private Latham announced his guest’s visit when he arrived, and Talbot had enough respect for the man to stand. He beckoned them to enter, and Private Latham pressed open the door, holding it open as Rogers and a young woman entered.

“General,” Rogers greeted with a sharp salute. A soldier to his core.

“Colonel,” Talbot greeted in return, saluting the man back. He'd been a Colonel himself only a few months ago, and knowing he now outranked his hero instilled him with a sense of unending pride and satisfaction. Rogers turned his head towards his guest, smiling faintly as his face took on an almost amused expression. She grinned back, almost seeming on the verge of winking before their private joke expired. He shook Rogers’ hand, unsurprised by the firm grip he received. When he turned towards his guest, she dipped her head in greeting.

“This is Agent Sharon Carter, CIA,” Rogers introduced.

“Carter?” he repeated the name. It tingled his memory.

“My Aunt is Peggy Carter, founder of SHIELD.” She was a brazen little girl, that was for certain. Declaring any ties to that organization these days was akin to declaring yourself a member of Al Qaeda. She said it with her head held up, daringly. With Captain America at her side, it was clear that she thought herself above reproach.

“That must be a difficult name to live with these days.”

“I’m proud of my past. Are you?” she replied smartly. Why that smart mouthed little-

“Thank you for agreeing to meet me on such short notice, General,” Rogers interceded before Talbot could come up with a response that was polite to share in mixed company. He returned his attention to his true and proper appointment. Carter could wait.

“Anything for a distinguished member of our armed services,” Talbot told him. “Please, sit.” He motioned towards the chairs before his desk, and then returned to his own seat. As they settled in, Talbot watched the interaction between them. Swift and professional, they knew each other - though not too well just yet. As an agency woman, Carter knew better than to become involved with her liaisons. Though Talbot wouldn’t be surprised if she made an exception for Rogers.

If he bothered to clean himself some, he’d be impressive enough. His current facial hair, however, left much to be desired. He was dressed in a sharply pressed shirt with good slacks, but his neatly combed hair was still far too long to be considered acceptable. Disappointing.

“What can I do for you, Colonel?”

“I’d like to discuss your position on SHIELD,” Rogers told him. Talbot’s eyes slid towards Carter.

“Is that a fact?” he asked snidely. She raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow.

“Yes,” she drawled slowly. “That’s a fact.”

“My position as been made perfectly clear in the press.”

“Indulge us,” Rogers requested calmly.

“They’re a virus that needs to be eradicated from this world.” Carter didn’t even blink. Rogers nodded his head slowly.

  
“I’ve read some of your mission reports regarding SHIELD and SHIELD personnel.”

“And I yours, you’ve been more...adamant about SHILED’s dissolution since the conclusion of your mission earlier this year.”

“It’s been a necessary path. You’ve been in contact with SHIELD personnel since my reports have come out.”

“Yes, Agent Coulson and his team are the most well known members.”

“A bad quality for a clandestine organization that’s meant to not exist,” Carter mused.

“Indeed,” Talbot replied shortly. “They’ve been a thorn in my side for three years.”

“One you’ve taken upon yourself to direct military resources to eradicating.” The implication was sharp, and Talbot scowled at her. She didn’t seem the least bit concerned, and he found her impertinence distasteful.

“They have attacked American Military Institutions, by any man’s reckoning-”

“They deserve to be taken in and arrested,” Rogers finished primly.

“Arrested? They’ve killed soldiers on our own army bases. They let known prisoners lose, facilitating the loss of life in several cities. They-”

“Are American citizens that need to be held accountable for the crimes that they committed in the court of law. Or are you saying that they deserved to be terminated without trial?” Roger’s boyish face, made even younger by his ridiculous hair (beard be damned) was all wide eyes and innocence.

“Of course that’s not what he’s saying,” Carter interrupted. “He’s admitted as such. His only acts thus far have been gross violence and misappropriation of funds. He’s making a mockery of his position and his men, and his embarrassment is spurring him on to kill anyone who he deems an enemy. Military, through and through.”

“That is not what I stand for.” Talbot slammed his hand on the desk, irritation growing sharp as he glared at foolish Agent. She was filled with the hopes and dreams of an old woman. Childhood stories and tales of astonishment. Famous Agent Peggy Carter and her inspired vision of a world made safe. They were fairy tales. Fantasies that Rogers was only encouraging by using the true Agent Carter’s niece as his associate. “I believe in the justice system, and that’s where they’re heading as soon as I track them down.”

“Good,” Rogers said brightly. “We’d like your help with that.” For a moment, Talbot couldn’t believe what he was hearing. They wanted his help? “We’re starting a...coalition if you will. A joint task force, under direct orders from the President and sanctioned internationally by the member states of the United Nations, that will be specifically assigned to finding and locating any member of known or hostile organizations who is actively breaking the law.” Talbot blinked.

“I’m sorry, you’re what?”

“We’re hunting down SHIELD and Hydra, and bringing them to justice,” Carter explained. “We’re arresting them, and we’re bringing them to trial individually for crimes they specifically committed.”

“We can’t go after SHIELD itself. It’s not illegal to be a SHIELD agent, after all.”

“No,” Talbot grudgingly admitted. “It’s not.”

“We’d like your help-” Rogers cut himself off, pausing and tilting his head towards the door, as though he was listening to some faint noise. His lips tugged down in an unhappy frown, and Carter glanced towards him with a curious expression. Her eyes flicked to her watch, checking the time, and when they rose, there was a knock at his door.

“Come in,” Talbot ordered, and Private Latham entered in a rush.

“Um...sir...um...the um…” a dark haired figure moved in behind Latham, hands stuffed in his pockets.

“Winter Soldier is here,” the man finished for him. “Sorry I’m late.”

“Buck,” Rogers chastised immediately, standing up and moving towards his alleged kidnapper. Talbot rose to his feet, wondering if there was need for alarm.

The soldier-turned-assassin-turned-kidnapper was pale, and sweat was forming at his brow. He was tense, back straight and jaw set. Rogers gripped the man’s arm and tugged it sharply, pulling him forward and all but shoving him in his vacated chair. “What the hell, Buck?”

“You left me behind,” the Winter Soldier hissed. His voice cracked and trailed off at the end, and Rogers gave him a scathing look. Talbot had given that same look to his own men in the past. ( _Of course I left you behind. Have you seen yourself?)_

“Sir?” Latham asked, hand clenching the door handle so hard he was liable to tear it off its resting place.

“Colonel?” Talbot pressed, one finger resting delicately over the panic button that would send the base into lockdown. The Winter Soldier looked distinctly unimpressed.

“I have a Presidential pardon and a sanctioned decree involving my actions for the past few years. What’s got _your_ panties in a bunch?” he asked sharply, hands still hidden in his jacket. He could be hiding anything within that coat, and Talbot didn’t move his finger from the button.

Carter, damn her, laughed. Rogers was all but gritting his teeth, peering down at the man with barely concealed concern. His hand hadn’t left the Winter Soldier’s arm, and his onetime (friend? colleague? associate? abductor?) partner, only grew more uncomfortable with each passing moment.

“Colonel?” Talbot asked again, waiting for his response regarding his highly irregular situation.

“Sergeant Barnes is my partner in this. He should have been here from the start. I left him behind in hopes of saving him the trip down,” Rogers eventually managed to get out. Sergeant Barnes. He’d be a Master Sergeant by now. Talbot doubted he’d bothered to update his uniform.

“He may be six foot three, but he’s still a weasel,” the man muttered under his breath. Rogers’ grip on his arm only tightened. Barnes skin was waxen, his breathing was coming in short gasps, and his eyes were squinting away from the window’s bright light. Migraine? That or some other ailment. Perhaps he was high, or coming off a high. He seemed the type. “What’ve I missed?” he asked tightly pressing forwards with the conversation he’d interrupted.

Rogers raised a brow, challenging Talbot to make a decision. He scowled.

 

“It’s all right Latham,” Talbot dismissed, removing his finger from his panic button and settling back into his chair. Latham nodded and closed the door. He’d be at the ready if anything disturbing occurred. Talbot was certain the boy was listening to every word spoken, regardless of it was appropriate or not.

“We had just gotten around to asking the General if he could assist us in our quest,” Rogers told him tightly. He released Barnes’ arm, but stayed at his side, standing close enough to secure him if need be.

“You said Sergeant Barnes was your partner?” Talbot asked carefully. Some of the tensions fled from Rogers’ body and his lips twisted upwards in an approximation of a smile. Not happy, not relaxed, but certainly unperturbed by the relationship he was attempting to convey.

“Yes.”

“Apologies, General, I was feeling under the weather this morning. Still trying to get my meds straight.”

“Your meds?”

“Anticonvulsants. Apparently being electrocuted one too many times leads to all sorts of bad biological effects,” the Winter Soldier responded.

“Buck…” Steve sighed.

“I ain’t gonna lie about it,” his friend snapped back.

“All right, boys, moving right along,” Sharon redirected. It was like watching a tennis match, the three of them sending the ball back and forth between themselves in an intricate and dedicated game of doubles, only to then realize that there was an opposite side of the court that needed to be addressed and occasionally letting him have his say.

The three were all looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to send the volley back over, and he cleared his throat to buy himself time. “You’re making a task force,” he reiterated.

“Yes, our legal counsel has instructed us on the most ethical way to go about doing this, and we’ve consulted the heads of the House and Senate as well has had a sit down meeting with the President to discuss our intentions. As you’ve been primarily responsible for the SHIELD threat thus far, we believe discussing our efforts in good faith to be the most prudent way to go forward.”

“You’re taking over,” Talbot surmised, ignoring the bull shit streaming from Rogers’ lips.

“We’re co-operating,” Carter responded. “I’m acting as the CIA liaison to this task force, and we would like you to act as the liaison from the armed forces.”

“Your men would still receive commendations for their assistance,” the Winter Soldier added quietly, still squinting up at the lights. Rogers moved, slipping into the space between the Soldier’s chair and Carter. His body cast a shadow over Barnes’ face, keeping the sun from shining directly into his eyes. It helped. His squinting became less obvious.

Pausing for several long moments, Talbot considered the proposal. The resources he was spending on hunting down SHIELD could be cut back and repurposed, his team and their information would still be valuable to their cause, and his involvement would speak highly of their services in both foreign and domestic territories. However, ultimately the blame of any poor decisions with the SHIELD debacle will now fall firmly on Rogers’ shoulders, absolving him of a greater percentage of guilt should things not turn out all right in the end.

“When will this task force get started?” Talbot asked slowly, carefully.

“Within the next few months,” Rogers replied. “We’re currently in the recruitment process.”

Steepling his hands together, Talbot pressed his fingertips to his lips and his elbows against the arms of his chair. He leaned back, thinking over the possibilities and the circumstances provided before him. “I’ve invested a lot of time, money, and effort into capturing these bastards,” he explained.

“And we appreciate those efforts. While we’re generating members for our response team, we may need to utilize your efforts again in the future.”

“So you’ll be taking control of my men?”

“We’ll be working with you to neutralize a threat,” Carter corrected. “And if your men are wholly responsible for any acquisition, we will be sure to have your name be the one that’s mentioned in the end.”

They were playing to his ego, and he was more than aware of it. Frowning, he let the scenarios play out in his head. The Winter Soldier’s involvement was perhaps the most interesting part of this whole meeting. He and Rogers were standing together as though they were perfectly comfortable side by side. Partners in the truest sense of the word. It was fascinating.

Talbot had never believed the papers when Rogers’ kidnapping was reported as a government sanctioned attempt to root out terrorists in the country. Their government didn’t work that efficiently, nor that effectively. They didn’t pull out national heroes and make them look weak before the whole world just to get a couple of names in a hat that Talbot could have provided any day of the week.

Something else had happened, and he was certain that even now they weren’t telling him the whole truth.

But, despite whatever strange circumstances that brought them together, Rogers wasn’t afraid of the Winter Soldier. He wasn’t nervous or concerned. He wasn’t even tense. Instead, his body language and demeanor strongly suggested that he trusted, even cared, for the man sitting beside him.

More than that, was Carter. She wasn’t the least bit concerned with the Soldier’s presence. Either she was in on this as some kind of conspirator, or she truly trusted the Soldier, and Rogers’, judgement.

“I’d like to review your proposal. Do you have any documentation I could look at?” he asked. A brief flash of annoyance crossed over Rogers’ features, but Carter didn’t bat an eye. She reached into the slim briefcase she’d brought with her and immediately handed him a thick folder. There was a paper on top that confirmed he was now in possession of Top Secret information, and he sighed as he signed off on it and handed it back to her to file.

“We look forward to hearing from you within the week,” she told him briskly, sliding her paperwork into order within her bag.

“Yes.” Sensing the end of the conversation, the Soldier rose from his chair. His eyes rolled up almost immediately, and he tipped forward. Rogers caught him, a curse snapping from his mouth like a whip. The lapse was only momentary, however, and the Soldier’s eyes opened nearly the second Rogers’ hand crossed in front of his chest to keep him from teetering straight over.

“You’re _sick_ , Buck,” Rogers told him sharply. Carter rose from her seat and collected her bag properly before holding her hand out to Talbot. He stood and shook it, eyes flicking back towards where the Soldier and Rogers were crowding each other.

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with us, General,” Carter told him, squeezing his hand and making him look towards her instead.

“Of course,” he replied stiffly. When he looked back, the Winter Soldier was all but collapsed against Rogers’ chest, and his right hand was trembling badly at his side.

“General,” Rogers’ told him, offering a sloppy salute and a meaningful tone as his farewell.

“Colonel,” Talbot replied smartly. the Winter Soldier, predictably, said nothing. His arm was pulled up over Rogers’ shoulder, and Rogers’ arm went around his back. He was all but hoisting him upright, marching him from the room without bothering to glance back and see what Talbot’s response was.

Carter lingered for a moment, before lifting her eyes to meet his. “Today was a bad day,” she explained lightly. “He was...ill this morning, it was why we didn’t bring him with us to begin with.”

“Anticonvulsants?”

“Seizures,” she explained. “When he was Hydra’s prisoner….they electrocuted him to keep him docile. There were...lingering effects.” The Soldier had said as much himself. 

Talbot let his eyes stray towards the window. He could see Rogers leading Barnes outside, all but marching him towards a bench and shoving him into it. He crouched down, one hand on Barnes’ shoulder the other on his knee. He leaned closer, talking to him - likely asking if he was all right. Barnes’ eyes were clenched shut. He was breathing raggedly.

“No one wants to destroy Hydra more than Captain America,” Carter told him firmly. “And he wants to tear SHIELD down for every illicit act that it’s done. The right people need to be punished, though. That’s his intention. No ghost trials, no blame games, just the truth.”

“I’ll give you my response within the week,” Talbot told her, watching as Rogers tipped his head forward and tapped his brow against Barnes’. A soldier’s move. A confirmation that everything was going to be all right. A symbol to a brother in arms. Talbot had done that himself on the battlefield, when friends, comrades, and colleagues were battle weary and torn apart. He’d tapped his brow to theirs. _(We’re alive. We made it.)_

“We look forward to hearing your response.” Nodding her head to him, she turned and left the room. Talbot waited, then watched as she exited the building at met up with Rogers and Barnes by the bench. By then, Rogers had pulled back somewhat. His hands still propped Barnes up, but the heartfelt show of affection had dissipated. Barnes squinted up at Sharon and said something Talbot couldn’t quite make out - his lips shaping words that he wasn’t able to read.

Rogers hoisted Barnes up to his feet and slung one of Barnes’ arms over his shoulder. Sharon took point and led them down the sidewalk. Within minutes, they were gone.

  
He looked down at the documentation before him. Perhaps he could lessen his workload some. Perhaps, someone else should take charge of this particular mission of his. He’d need to see. For now, at least he felt comfortable with the idea that Barnes may not actually be a threat. If anything, he was a weakness. Rogers would do anything for him. It could, if need be, be used to keep him in line. He’d have to see if it was necessary to do so, but for now - it was not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: Cameron Klein

**Author's Note:**

> Do you have any questions? Comments? Concerns? A prompt to add to this interlude? 
> 
> Let me know!
> 
> http://www.falcon-fox-and-coyote.tumblr.com


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